The GPA has applied to Darlington Borough Council to build a four-story government hub, backing the growth of the Darlington Economic Campus
The government’s investment of £118m in the project is a significant indication of its commitment to sparking economic growth in the town and wider region.
According to research from the CBI, every £1 spent in the UK’s construction sector helps create £3 of value for the wider UK economy.
The Darlington Economic Campus expansion will help to drive regional economic growth
Parliamentary secretary for the Cabinet Office Alex Burghart said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Darlington as we begin the process of delivering a landmark, sustainable, place-making building that the entire community can take pride in.
“Not only will this help drive regional economic growth, but it will also ensure that we create a civil service that better represents the diverse communities it serves.”
The new hub will increase the total number of Darlington-based civil servants working to over 2,300, 1,450 of whom will be located in the Brunswick Street hub.
Since 2021, 762 civil service roles have been relocated to Darlington under Places for Growth.
Over 800 civil servants are currently based in Darlington across eight departments, including His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT), the Department for Education, and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), for whom Darlington is their second headquarters.
A highly sustainable new government hub
Clive Anderson, director of capital projects at the GPA, said: “In submitting our planning application, we are a step closer to creating another highly sustainable new government hub which will boost the local economy and see a modern, inspirational and energy-efficient workplace for government departments and their staff attracted to a rewarding civil service career based in Darlington.
“The campus is enabling increased investment in the region and supporting the Government’s Levelling Up and Places for Growth agendas, creating circa 1,400 Civil Service roles and providing future growth opportunities to the North East of England.”
Construction of the new government hub is set to begin later this year and be completed in early 2027.
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